


The Talk

by ByTheDawn



Series: 300challenge [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-03-31
Packaged: 2018-01-17 16:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1395187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ByTheDawn/pseuds/ByTheDawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of the #300Challenge, based off of the title prompt. Snow tells Regina she's pregnant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Talk

“Regina…?” The brunette’s head came up slowly from where it had been staring at a drawing of Henry she had somehow gotten her hands on. Snow swallowed with difficulty and willed her feet to move forward until she stood in front of the bench in the dark palace gardens Regina was occupying. It was so quiet here at night that Snow could well imagine why Regina came here so often.

“Could I—may I sit down?” She asked nervously, and Regina nodded, dark eyes setting upon her. With a sigh, Snow bunched up her dress and sat down on the cold white stone. She was silent a moment until Regina’s obvious irritation at being disrupted in her musings drove her to speak.

“I’m pregnant.” She blurted. “Only David knows yet—we thought you should know before we made a declaration.” 

The immediate reaction of anger or pain Snow had expected did not come. Instead, Regina watched her long moments, and then turned her head away with a deep sigh that pained Snow to hear. As much hate as there had been between them, Regina was still the woman she had once wanted as a replacement of her mother—and she had always been family in some way. They had a connection that was deep and painful, but it was a connection none the less.

“Congratulations.” Regina’s dark voice said, and while the intonation was neutral at best, it still brought tears to Snow’s eyes to hear the simple word. She felt the unrealistic need to throw her arms around Regina and hug her tight, but the walls that had already been high in Storybrooke were even higher here since their return, and Snow didn’t dare. Instead, she lightly touched Regina’s hand a moment to draw her attention, and couldn’t avoid looking upon Henry’s smiling face. Again, the guilt settled heavily around her heart.

“Thank you, Regina. That means a lot. I know… I know you’re hurting.” Snow dared to voice, and for a moment, she could see the anger settling in Regina’s jaw, then the woman reigned in her emotions and sighed. Snow flashed back to a quiet moment in the woods, watching Regina bury her heart, and she wished she could take away some of the pain in the older woman.

“I would like to be alone now.” Regina said sharply, and Snow nodded. She stood quickly, smoothing out her virginally white dress, and looked down upon Regina for a long moment as Regina’s eyes returned to the image in her hands. Turning, she left Regina alone to her misery, and was shocked to hear Regina’s voice shatter the silence that had settled heavily between them.

“Snow?”

“Yes?” She asked hopefully, grateful for every moment of positive contact between her and the woman she had so much history with. If only they could put the past behind them, Snow mused. They could aid each other so much. Snow was so very ready to move beyond what had happened—after everything that had happened, she felt only sympathy for Regina’s situation. Snow needed the brunette’s forgiveness for past transgressions as much as Regina needed hers—if only Regina allowed them the opportunity.

“Thank you for telling me now. I-I am not sure I would have taken it well while surrounded by everyone. I really am happy for you and Charming. You…” Regina finally turned her head to look at her, and the sadness in dark eyes broke Snow’s heart. “You deserve to be happy.” 

Snow smiled, feeling tears come to her eyes. She wanted to jump on this admission, this openness, but knew it would overwhelm Regina. Instead of hounding her, she quietly nodded and continued to walk away, leaving the woman to process this news of a second chance at happiness for her once-enemy while she was left haunted by the memories of the son no one would be able to replace.


End file.
